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United has ordered 15 new supersonic jets for US$3 billion
来源：Shipping News Headlines 编辑：编辑部 发布：2021/06/08 11:26:06
UNITED AIRLINES has ordered 15 supersonic jets for US$3 billion expected to be in service in 2029, reports Bloomberg.
United also took purchase options for 35 more planes. The airline also plans to be the debut operator of the Overture, which will seat as many as 88 people.
Supersonic flights are currently banned over land in the US, but United sees the potential in three-and-a-half-hour trips to London from Newark, New Jersey, and six-hour trips to Tokyo from San Francisco.
"It has a tremendous amount of value for a big chunk of our high-end business customers. We've got our eyes firmly on New York to London for inaugural service and we will evaluate opportunities beyond that," said United's corporate development vice president Mike Leskinen.
Boom has raised $250 million so far as a way to surmount the challenges needed to bring back supersonic commercial flights since the death of Europe's Concorde in 2003. However, launching the first supersonic flight is predicted to cost as high as $8 billion.
The Concorde flew for 27 years until 2003, but because of its high fuel and operating costs, fewer than two dozen were built. The Overture is expected to be 75 per cent cheaper.
Overture jets will fly at 1,300 miles per hour, or Mach 1.7, about twice as fast as conventional jetliners, according to Boom.
"I've done a lot of business trips around the US that I make day trips - I can get back to see my kids that evening. This will open up Western Europe to do the same," said Mr Leskinen.
United also took purchase options for 35 more planes. The airline also plans to be the debut operator of the Overture, which will seat as many as 88 people.
Supersonic flights are currently banned over land in the US, but United sees the potential in three-and-a-half-hour trips to London from Newark, New Jersey, and six-hour trips to Tokyo from San Francisco.
"It has a tremendous amount of value for a big chunk of our high-end business customers. We've got our eyes firmly on New York to London for inaugural service and we will evaluate opportunities beyond that," said United's corporate development vice president Mike Leskinen.
Boom has raised $250 million so far as a way to surmount the challenges needed to bring back supersonic commercial flights since the death of Europe's Concorde in 2003. However, launching the first supersonic flight is predicted to cost as high as $8 billion.
The Concorde flew for 27 years until 2003, but because of its high fuel and operating costs, fewer than two dozen were built. The Overture is expected to be 75 per cent cheaper.
Overture jets will fly at 1,300 miles per hour, or Mach 1.7, about twice as fast as conventional jetliners, according to Boom.
"I've done a lot of business trips around the US that I make day trips - I can get back to see my kids that evening. This will open up Western Europe to do the same," said Mr Leskinen.